Quantitative assessment of Malaysian plasmodium falciparum clones to schizontocidal drugs before and after cryopreservation.

Thirty clones were obtained from five Malaysian Plasmodium falciparum isolates using the limiting dilution method. These clones were then subjected to antimalarial testing using the modified in vitro microtechnique. The results showed that ST 85/B3, GC/C10 and ST 85/A2 clones decreased their susceptibilities to 19, 41 and 28% whilst ST 12/F8, ST 85/B3 and ST 85/B3 clones showed increases of 6, 43 and 21%, respectively, against chloroquine, mefloquine and quinine after cryopreservation. Further results also indicated that GC/B4, GC/B7, GC/C10, ST 85/A5, ST 85/D3, ST 148/F8 clones did not show any change (up to 2 decimal places) against chloroquine, ST 12/D5, ST 12/E8, ST 12/F8, ST 148/A5 clones against quinine after cryopreservation. They, however, maintained their original susceptibilities after cryopreservation. Copyright 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel.